Woman killed herself days after being discharged from hospital over previous suicide attempt
05.04.2023 - 20:13
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A woman was tragically found dead just days after leaving for hospital after attempting to take her own life, an inquest has found.
Fizza Tazeen Ahmed was found dead on April 3, 2022, in woodland in south Manchester. The 39-year-old left Wythenshawe Hospital on March 29, having spent 10 days in its Bronte Ward, a mixed gender acute ward for patients with mental health problems.
Ms Ahmed was there as an ‘informal’ — i.e. voluntary — patient following a suicide attempt on March 19. She had called an ambulance for herself and then agreed to transfer from A&E to the mental health unit, area coroner Zak Golombek heard today (April 5, 2023).
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During the hearing, he ruled that Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH) made ‘shortcomings in care’ with Fizza, but added those did not lead to her death directly. That was despite an internal review by GMMH itself suggesting the shortcomings did ‘on the balance of probabilities’ lead to her death.
The review was carried out by Dr Sean Lennon, who focused on the decision to discharge Fizza — at her request — on March 29 to the home based treatment team. Consultant Dr Shahid Hussain approved the discharge, and instructed Lucy Ralphs to carry out an assessment with Fizza looking into the level of risk she presented to herself.
Ms Ralphs found that Fizza was low risk, due to not presenting any thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or absconsion while in hospital.
“I think the point we would make was that in the multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting there was an acceptance that Fizza would be discharged and [it would be] a supported discharge,” Dr Lennon told courtroom 1 of Manchester City Coroners Court.
“I